Shoe-tree



Mach 12, 192-9. M 1,705,198

SHOE TREE Filed Sept. 25, 1926 q: 7 u 6 I 7:63 18 Z8 II I fndenlor':

Q Mazamamzamz,

Patented Mar. 12, 1929.

UNITED STAT S rArsNr QFFICE.

WILLIAM G. MOLAND, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHOE-TREE.

Application filed September 25,1926.- Serial No; 137,661.

that the principal parts of the same way be stamped and formed fromsheet metal; which will be strong yet relatively light; which will.permit the shoe when in a damp or wet condition to dry out quickly andwhich is providedwith means whereby the shoe may be hung up .out of thewaywhen'the shoe tree is placed therein.

The nature and characteristic features of my invention will be morefully understood from the following description, taken inconnection withthe accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a shoe tree embodying the main features ofmy invention, the same being shown with the parts in thepositions'assum'ed when the device is in operative relationship with ashoe, the shoe being illustrated in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the shoe tree; Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of the shoe tree shown in the folded condition;

Fig.4 is a transverse section of the toe piece, the view being taken onthe line 1 1 of Fig. 2; i

Fig. 5 is va longitudinal section taken approximately on the line 5-5 of1;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section enlarged taken approximately on the line6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of the heel on the line 7-7 of Fig.2;

Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken approx-.

imately on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1; and.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a shoewith the device of my inventionmounted therein,

the-same being. shown suspended ona hook mateformof the inside of thefront end of a shoe, the'same being provided with a plurality oflongitudinally extending slots or apertures 11, these slots or apertures11 serving as a thereby providing a stop to limit the'angularrelationship of the bar 17 with respect to the portion, the View beingtaken approximately means of ventilation to permit the moisture to Hevaporate from the inside of the toe portion of the shoe as well as fromthe outer surface thereof, when the shoe-tree is positioned in the shoe.These slots or apertures 11 not only extend longitudinally, but are alsoarranged in more or less staggered relationship, whereby the wrinkles inthe toe portion of the shoe will be more readily eliminated.

The toe piece 10 is also provided at its lower and rear marginal edgeswith inturned lips 12, which serve not only to strengthen the structure,but also assist in properly positioning the toe the shoe.

A bracket member 13 is secured by means of rivets 14: to the rearupper'portion of the toe piece, and a link member 15 is pivotally secured by means of a rivet 16 to said bracket member '13. The link member15 is also pressed or formed, from sheetmetal, and-at the rear endthereof a bar 17 is pivotally con nected therewith by means of a rivet18. The link 15 at its rear end overlaps the bar 17,

piece within the front end of link 15, when the shoe tree is in theoperative position within the shoe, as shown in Figs. 1

. and 9 of the drawings.

The rivet 18 also serves as a means of pivotal attachment of a loopedfinger engaging piece 19, which is adapted to be engaged by the hand ofthe user for the purpose of insorting or removing the shoe treewithrespect to the shoe, in the manner to be hereinafter more fully setforth. 7 v I The bar 17 is slidably mounted in one end of a flat sleevemember 20, which is also punched and formed from sheet metal. The freeend of the sleeve member 20 carries a cup shaped heel piece 21, whichissecured thereto by meansiof integral lip portions 22 of the sleevemember 2 0, extending through aper-' tnres in the heel piece 21, saidlip portions 22 being bent over and seated in a'recess 23 in the centralportion of the heel piece 21.

A flat spring2lis mounted on the side of :the sleevemember 20 by meansof a rivet 25,

the other end of this spring 24 being provided with a pin 26, whichextends through one of the side walls of the sleeve 20 and is adapted toengage selectively one of a series of a ertures 27 provided in the bar17 The oregomg arrangement enables the sleeve member 20 to belongitudinally adjusted with respect to the bar 17, and to be held inthe adjusted position, thereby permitting the shoe tree to be used forvarious sizes of shoes.

In the use of the shoe tree, the toe piece 10 is first inserted in thetoe portion of the shoe,

and the heel piece 21 is then brought into engagement with the interiorof the shoe above the heel thereof. The finger engaging piece 19 is thenpushed downward until the link 15 and bar 17 ocupy the positions shownin Fig. 1 of the drawings, the angular relationship being limited by theengagement of the overlapping portion of the link member15 with the topedge of the bar 17. The link 15 and bar 17, being now off center belowthe line of thrust, will serve to maintain the parts in their lockedpositions.

It will, of course, be understood that the natural resiliency of theshoe will permit the parts to be pushed to the locked position, whichwill thereafter be maintained by reason of the off-center relationshipof the link 15 and bar 17 and the tension which is imparted when theseparts are in such positions.

If it be found that there is either notsufv ficient ortoo much tension,the sleeve member 20 which carries the heel piece 21 may be lonjgitudinally shifted on the bar 17 by manually releasing the pin 26,which is carried by the spring 21, from engagement with one of theapertures of the bar 17, then shifting the sleeve 20 upon the bar 17 tothe proper position, and then permitting the pin 26 to reengage theproper aperture 27 of the bar 17,

which will thereafter hold the sleeve 20 and heel piece 21 in the properadjusted position with respect to the bar 17 The looped finger piece 19will be'found to afford a convenient means for hanging up the shoes inan out of the way location, such, for example, as on a sidewall, bymeans of a hook 28 mounted therein, as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings.

When the shoe tree is not in use, the same may be readily folded tooccupy a small space by bending the heel piece 21 inward and pushing thesame into the hollow space at the end of the toe piece 10, as shown inFig. 3 of the drawings, the finger piece 19 being bent back over thelink 15.

Having thus described the nature and char-V acteristic features of myinvention, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is: r

1. A shoe tree comprising a" toepiece shaped to the approximate form ofthe inside of the front end of a shoe, a link pivotally connected to therear end of said toe piece,

a bar pivotally connected to said link, a looped finger engaging piecepivotally connected to the link and bar at their point of pivotalconnection, and a heel piece adjustahly mounted with respect to saidbar.

2. A shoe tree comprising a toe piece shaped to the approximate form ofthe inside of the front end of a shoe, a link pivotally connected to therear end of said toe piece, a bar pivotally connected to said link, alooped fingerengaging piece pivotally connected to the link and bar attheir point of pivotal connection, a sleeve slidably mounted on saidbar, a heel piece secured to the end of said sleeve, and means for lockng said sleeve in adpisted posltlons on sa d bar.

3. A shoe tree comprising a toe piece shaped to the approximate form ofthe inside of the front end of a shoe, a link pivotally connected to therear end of said toe piece, a bar pivotally connected to said link, alooped finger engaging piece pivotally connected to the link and bar attheir point of pivotalconnection, a sleeve slidably mounted on said bar,a heel piece secured to the end of said sleeve, and

means for locking said sleeve in adjusted p0 sitions on said barcomprising a spr ng mounted on the side of said sleeve, a pin carried bysaid spring and extending through an aperture in said sleeve, and thebar being provided with a plurality of apertures adaptlationship, a linkpivotally connected to. the

rear end of said toe piece, a bar pivotally connected to said link, alooped finger engaging piece pivotally connected to the link and bar attheir point of pivotal connection, and a heel piece adj ustably mountedwith respect to said 5. A shoe tree comprising a toe piece formed ofsheet metal and shaped to the approximate-form of the inside of thefront end of a shoe, said toe piece having an inturned lip at the lowermarginal edge thereof and being provided with a plurality oflongitudinally extending slots arranged in staggered relationship, alink pivotally connected to the rear end of said toe piece, a barpivotally con-1 nected to said link, a looped finger engaging piecepivotally connected to the link and bar at their point of pivotalconnection, a sleeve slidably mounted on said bar, a heel piece securedt0 the end of said sleeve, and means for locking said sleeve in adjustedpositions on said bar.

6. A shoe tree comprising a toe piece formed of sheet metal and shapedto the approximate form of the inside of the front end of a shoe, saidtoe piece having an inturned lip at the lower marginal edge thereof andbeing provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending slotsarranged in staggered relationship, a link pivotally connected to theupper rear end of said toe piece, a bar pivotal- 1y connected to saidlink, a looped finger engaging piece pivotally connected to the link andbar at their point of pivotal connection, a sleeve slidably mounted onsaid bar, a heel piece secured to the end of said sleeve, and means forlocking said sleeve in'adjusted p0- sitions on said bar comprising aspring mounted on the side of said sleeve, a pincarried by said springand extending through an aperture in said sleeve, and the bar being provided with a plurality of apertures-adapted to be selectively engagedby-the pin which is carried by the spring. 1

7. A shoe tree comprising a toe piece shaped to the approximate form ofthe inside of the front end of a shoe, a link pivotally connected to therear end of said toe piece, a bar pivotally connected to said link, asleeve slidably mounted on said bar, a heel piece secured to the endofsaid sleeve, and means for locking said sleeve in adjusted positionson said bar.

8. A shoe tree comprising a toe piece shaped to the approximate form ofthe inside of the front end of a shoe, a link pivotally connected to therear end of said toe piece, a bar pivotally connected to said link, asleeve slidably mounted on said bar, a heel piece secured to the end ofsaid sleeve, and means for locking said sleeve in adjusted positions onsaid bar comprising a spring mounted on the side of said sleeve, a pincarried by said spring and extending through an aperture in said sleeve,and the bar being provided With a plurality of apertures adapted to beselectively engaged by the pin Which is carried by the spring.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

WILLIAM G. MOLAND.

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